Emmy-winning producer Bill Borden, who helped shepherd Disney’s hit “High School Musical” franchise, has partnered with China’s Mili Pictures to bring their animated feature “Wukong Warrior” to global television and streaming audiences.
Borden is spearheading the adaptation of the Monkey King tale for TV and streaming platforms worldwide through his partnership with Summit International Pictures. While digital and linear platforms are the priority, the producers haven’t ruled out limited theatrical runs in the U.S. and other territories.
“Wukong Warrior” will hit Chinese theaters in September, with international buyers getting their first look at Mip Jr and Mipcom Oct. 11-16 in Cannes.
The animated action-adventure comedy reimagines the classic Chinese tale of Sun Wukong, the rebellious stone-born warrior with cosmic powers who defies the gods. After 500 years imprisoned beneath a mountain, Sun Wukong gets one final shot at redemption: protecting a Buddhist monk on a perilous journey to retrieve sacred scriptures from India. He teams up with a greedy pig-warrior, a sorrowful river demon and a talking horse with mysterious origins.
The film kicks off a planned three-picture saga from Mili Pictures.
Borden’s involvement signals serious global ambitions for the project. His credits include the “High School Musical” series, Stephen Chow’s “Kung Fu Hustle,” “Mission: Impossible 3,” Spike Lee’s “Get On the Bus” and Disney’s “Meet the Robinsons.”
“I’m incredibly excited to be working with the team at Mili, which has big ambitions backed by great artists and strong resources,” Borden said. “When I first saw their animation for their first film ‘Dragon Nest’ a little over a decade ago, I remember being blown away by the artistic quality. There is still huge potential for Chinese animation outside of China. Here, we have a story steeped in classic Chinese folklore told with heart, humor and adventure with the sensibilities that will appeal to audiences worldwide.”
“We feel there is great potential in making family entertainment that can travel all over the world,” added Jack Zhang, chair of Mili Pictures. “With the stunning quality of Mili’s animation and Hollywood experience in storytelling, we think we offer something very special. It’s great to be working with Bill Borden on re-versioning our film for the world outside of Greater China.”
The partnership continues Borden’s long-standing relationship with Mili Pictures, now enhanced through collaboration with Summit International Pictures. The California-based company, headed by Nan Yao, specializes in representing films and IP from Greater China for global audiences.
Disney Media Distribution veteran Todd Barasch has joined Summit International to oversee worldwide licensing outside China. Barasch, who most recently worked with L.A.-based producer-distributor Happy Accidents, brings extensive global content distribution experience to the project.
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